NEWS: EVERYTHING IS DISNEY NOW

No seriously, there are nine Disney-owned films coming out in 2019. It’s going to be pretty intense.

History books of the future will mark 2019 as the year Disney did everything. There are live-action remakes of Dumbo, Aladdin and The Lion King, a sequel to Frozen, a whole new franchise called Artemis Fowl, the final chapters in the Marvel and Star Wars story arcs that have lasted whole generations… anything else? Oh yes, Toy Story 4, one of the most eagerly-awaited sequels of all time. Here’s how it’s all going to play out. See you on the other side.

CAPTAIN MARVEL (out 8 March)

THE BACKSTORY: In the last scene of Infinity War a dying Nick Fury used a pager to summon his old friend Captain Marvel. Wait, who?WHAT WE KNOW: Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) is the universe’s most powerful hero but we meet her back in the 90s when she was a fighter pilot. So how did she get her supernova punch and lightning eyes? Watch Marvel’s first female superhero film to find out.WHY YOU’LL GO: Because you love female superhero films. (Everyone does - Wonder Woman took a staggering $800 million)

DUMBO (out 29 March)

WHO’S THAT? He’s the big-eared flying elephant from Disney’s golden age.WHAT WE KNOW: He doesn’t talk in this Tim Burton-directed version – but he still flies, there’s still a friendly mouse and Danny DeVito has a monkey in his desk drawer.WHY YOU’LL GO: Because you’re not ashamed to cry at a love song from an elephant to her baby (1941’s Oscar-winning ‘Baby Mine’ gets covered in this, beautifully)

AVENGERS: ENDGAME (out 26 April)

WHY WE’RE STOKED: The last instalment ended on the biggest cliffhanger ever, as half of the Avengers were turned to dust by a blue guy with a lethal glove.WHY THIS IS HUGE: This isn’t just the payoff to that cliffhanger. It’s the payoff to every Marvel film so far. No wonder the trailer got a million likes in under four hours - a YouTube first.WHY YOU’LL GO: Because it’s the culmination of over a decade's worth of storytelling. Basically, the emotional investment is real, and it’s about to seriously pay off.

ALADDIN (out 24 May)

WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU: You grew up on the 1994 cartoon version, you took your mum to see the stage show and you’re definitely ready to see the new version by *checks notes* Guy Ritchie??HOW IT’S LOOKING: Turns out Ritchie was the perfect choice for this. With a sumptuous Arabian setting, he takes the story back to its fairytale roots and adds pace and passion.WHY YOU’LL GO: Because you need to hear those songs on a big screen soundsystem again. Also, HOT JAFAR.

TOY STORY 4 (out 21 June)

WHAT WE KNOW: After a nine year gap, Woody and the gang are hitting the road with a street tough chicken and bear, plus a guy called Forky who’s not strictly a toy. In fact he’s not even a fork. He’s a spork.WHAT WE DON’T KNOW: Keanu Reeves is in it, but nobody will say who he plays. Except that he’s small and tough. WHY YOU’LL GO: Because you’ve been living with these characters for literally 24 years and when they nearly went in that furnace you cried actual tears. You’re not abandoning them now.

THE LION KING (out 19 July)

WHY IT’S BLOWING UP TWITTER: Beyoncé is in it. So are Donald Glover, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Seth Rogen and James Earl Jones but who cares? Beyoncé is in it! WHY IT CAN’T FAIL: Jon Favreau’s live action remake sticks to the original script – so baby Simba gets lifted up on top of a big rock, animals bow, Scar is jealous, there’s a stampede, Circle of Life and Hakuna Matata are back and everyone is happy. Except in the sad bits.WHY YOU’LL GO: For the sad bits. Everyone on Twitter is talking about reliving THAT moment...except this time, the technology’s better - so it’ll feel more real.

ARTEMIS FOWL (out 9 August)

WHO’S THAT? Artemis Fowl is the 12-year old Irish criminal genius in a world of fairies, goblins, dwarves and magic in Eoin Colfer’s 20 million-selling book series. WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: Colfer called his first book ‘Die Hard with fairies’ and director Kenneth Branagh has taken that on board. There are as many weapons, explosions, suits and sunglasses in this as there are fairies. WHY YOU’LL GO: Because everybody’s been looking for the new Harry Potter and this could be it - albeit much madder, weirder and more cynical. Very 2019, in other words.

FROZEN 2 (out 22 November)

WHY IT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT: From the trailer we know Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf are off on some kind of quest and it all looks a bit more tense and epic than the first film.WHY IT’S MYSTERIOUS: This one is totally under wraps, with very little information leaked. But it definitely has the same songwriters as the first film. So by Christmas, the whole country will be singing whatever the sequel to Let It Go is.WHY YOU’LL GO: Anna, Elsa and Kristoff are on an adventure and you'll want to be with them every step, and song, of the way.

STAR WARS EPISODE 9 (out 19 December)

WHY IT’S HUGE: Way back at the dawn of time George Lucas said Star Wars would be a nine-part story and here it is. The conclusion. It’s kind of a big deal. WHAT WE KNOW: Rumour has it three stars from the original trilogy return for Episode IX. Will Mark Hamill return as Luke Skywalker, Billy Dee Williams play Lando Calrissian and the late Carrie Fisher play Leia (Using unused footage with her daughter’s permission)? We know Richard E Grant is in it. Also Matt Smith, in a key role. But we know nothing about the plot at all. Doesn’t that feel good?WHY YOU’LL GO: Because you just need to hear that opening chord one last time.